Nicolas helmer



(No Model.)

N. HELMER.

Am SHIP. No. 328,218. Patented Oct. 13, 18.85.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

NICOLAS IIELMER, OF NEY YORK, N. Y.

A I R S H l P.

SPECIFICATION forming part. of Letters Patent No. 328,218, dated October13, 1885. Application tiled October 9, 1884'. Serial No. 145,092. (Nomodel.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, NIcoLAs HELIV'IER, a citizen of the United States,residing in the city, county, and State of New York, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Air-Ships, ofwhich thefollowingis a speciiication.

My invention relates to that class of air-ships in which gasbags areused to support the apparatus in the air, and a propelling-fan isemployed t-o move it in the desired direction; and my invention consistsin constructing the various parts, as fully described hereinafter, so asto permit the area of the gas-bags exposed to the action of theair-current to be increased or diminished, and so as to facilitate theadjust- Inents and operations of the apparatus.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is an elevation illustrating an air-shipembodying my improvement. Fig. 2 is an enlarged view of part of theapparatus for varying the positions of the gas-bags; Fig. 3, a viewillustrating one mode of compressing the gas-bag to supply gas to themotor. Fig. 4 is a section-on the line l 2, Fig. 3.

C is the lower platform, O the propellingwheel, D the bowsprit, E thejib sail, and F the motor, of a balloon or air-ship. These parts I donot particularly describe here, as they may be constructed in anysuitable manner, but preferably that set forth in my application SerialNo. 142,106, filed September 3, 1884.

The platform Gand its adj uncts are supported from a trussed frame, A,consisting of a circular or elongated rim, a, and suitable crossbraces,b, to form a light but rigid structure, which is normally in ahorizontalposition, and whichis elevated and supported by means of elongatedgas-bags B, inclosed in suitable nettings, connected at their lower endsto the frame A by means of cords d. I have shown four gasbags,but anysuitable number may be employed.

In order to permit the platform O to be turned readily and independentlyof the frame A, I connect the two by means of a swiveled counection.Thus cords or cables e may extend from the frame A to a block, G,inwhich swivels a hook, II, and cords f, connected to the platform C,center upon such hook, which will turn in the block G withoutnecessarily revolving the latter.

To permit the turning of the platform C and yet hold the frame A in astationary position in the direction of the air-current, I provide theplatform with a guiding-sail, J, which may be arranged above or belowthe frame. As shown, the sail is below and supported by a spar, K,suitably-braced cords,dd, extending around pulleys y g g2 and to theplatform C, so that the sail may be reefed or set from the saidplatform.

It is desirable that the gas-bags shall occupy vertical or horizontalpositions, according as it is necessary to expose agreater or lesssurface to the air-current, for which reason-I provide means to changethe positions of one or all of t-he bags, as circumstances may require.Different means of effecting this result will be obvious, those shownconsisting in connecting to each gas-bag a cable, h, extending through aguide-eye, j, upon the frame A to the lower platform, and provided witha conical stop, k, adapted to engage with the contiguous bevelfaces ofspring-bolts 12 t', sliding in guides upon the side of the ring a.

Vhen the bag is in a vertical position and the operator upon theplatform O draws the cable h downward, the stop k will, as the bag approaches ahorizontal position, enterbetween the bolts t' fi and forceback the latter until it passes the same, when the bolts will spring inabove the stop and prevent it and the cable from rising, thereby lockingthe bag in its place. By pulling outward both or one of the bolts i thestop is released and the bag will take its vertical position. The boltsmay be drawn back by electro-magnets or otherwise, one means consistingof cords a connected to the outer ends ofthe bolts and passing throughguide-eyes n to the platform G.

An electromotor, compressed-air engine, or other suitable motor may beemployed for driving the fan O. Whereagas-motoris used. the gas requiredfor driving the same will be supplied from one or more of the bags B',and means are employed for compressing the latter to force the gasdownward through a pipe, s, to the engine. Thus a band, M, may becontracted around the bag so as to expel more or less of the contents.As shown, a loop, p, is

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connected to one edge of the band,w-hich passes around the bag and thenthrough the loop, as shown in Fig. 4, so that when ropes q, connected tothe loose end of the band, are drawn downward, the said band will becontracted around the bag.

In order to properly guide the various operating-cords extending fromthe upper portion of the apparatus to the platform, I form in the blockG a series of perforations, zr, and pass the Various cords through theseperforations Vand downward to a position accessible from the platform.

The bags are made out of silk varnished, as usual, and to secure greaterstrength and durability I employ a supplemental coating of collodionvarnish. As this varnish would not take proper hold upon a silk surface,I cover the bag with an envelope ofcambric, to which the said collodionvarnish is applied. As I do not here claim the manner of making the saidvarnish, it will be sufficient to state that it consists of a solutionof collodion, to which castor-oil oryegetable oil is added to maintainthe varnish soft and elastic. In some instances I add a second layer ofcambric to the first, with a second coating of collodion varnish outsidethe outer layer.

1. The combination, with the platform and propelling apparatus, ofelongated gas-bags connected at the ends to support the platform, andappliances, substantially as described, whereby the bags may be movedfrom a Vertical to a horizontal position, and vice versa, substantiallyas set forth.

2. The combination of the supporting-frame, elongated gas-bags connectedeach at one end to said frame, cords h, stops 7c, spring-bolts i, andappliances for withdrawing said bolts, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination, with the trussed frame A, supported by a series ofindependent separable gas-bags, each connected to and supporting saidframe independently of the others, of the platform C, carrying thedriving-wheel O, and gas-motor, and a connection between the motor andone ofsaid supporting gas-bags,and appliances,substantially asdescribed,for compressing the said bag, for the purpose set forth.

4. The combination, with the frame A., supportedv by the gas-bags, andplatform C, havinga swiveled connection with said frame, of a sail, J,carried by the frame, for the purpose set forth.

5. The combination of the trussed frame A, supported by a series ofindependent separable gas-bags, each connected to and independentlysupporting said frame at a point different from the others, platform C,cords for-operating upon the gas-bags, and the intermediate perforatedblock, G, connecting` the trussed frame and platform C, substantially asand for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

NICOLAS HELMER.

Vitnesses:

HERMAN BnsTnNBosrrnL, FREDERIK DEUTscHMANN.

